Web splicing apparatus



- H. K. NOWISCH 3,361,318 I WEB SPLICING APPARATUS Jan. 2, 1968 Filed Sept. .22, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR K NOW|SCH HEINZ ATTORNEY 5 Jan. 2, 1968 H. K. NOWISCH 3,361,318

WEB SPLICING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 22, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HEINZ K. NOWISCH BY v ATTORNEY Jan. 2, 196 8 Y H. K. NOWlSCH WEB SPLICING APPARATUS l 6 SheetsSheet 5 Filed Sept. 22, 1965 INVENTOR HEINZ K. NOWISCH ATTORNEY;

- H. K. NOWISCH WEB SPLICING APPARATUS I Jan. 2, 1968 Filed Sept. 22, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG4A INVENT OR HEINZ K. NOWISCH W H M ATTORNEYS J 2 1968 H. K. NOWISCH 3,361,318

WEB SPLICING APHXRNIIUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 22, 1965 FIG? O HEINZ K. NOWISCH ATTORNEYS H. K. NOWISCH WEB SPLICING APPARATUS Jan. 2, 19 8 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Sept. 22, 1965 236 li l zzo o 2 o-1- I88 222 I90 ll 2 ll ias 224 2262 ZZI IL I

INVENTOR HEINZ K. NOWISCH ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,361,318 WEB SPLICING APPARATUS Heinz K. Nowisch, Sandston, Va., assignor to The Inta- Roto Machine Company, Inc., Richmond, Va., a corporation of Virginia Filed Sept. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 489,169 Claims. (Cl. 228-1) The present invention generally appertains to novel improvernents in means for joining or connecting together the ends of successive plies or webs of sheet material so that the plies form a single continuous ply or web of any desired length and especially relates to novel improvements in means for splicing the ends of successive plies or webs of metal foil.

In winding or unwinding operations, during the fabrication of metal foil, it is a conventional practice to join the ends of consecutive or successive plies or webs of the foil together by ultrasonic welding, whereby a continuous length of the foil may be obtained without affecting the condition of the foil and whereby the joined plies may be wound in a roll of any desired thickness just as though only a sole ply had been wound in coil form.

One specific, though not restrictive, environment of the joining means or mechanism of the present invention is in association with equipment for unwinding double ply, that is two superimposed plies, rolls of metal foil, separating the plies and rewinding the individual plies into separate rolls. A double ply roll of the metal foil is mounted on an unwind stand and the double ply is fed to a separator mechanism wherein the plies are separated and the separate plies are then wound into individual rolls.

As the separated plies are fed to the winding rolls, they pass over anvils which cooperate with an ultrasonic welding head. In this respect, when the trailing ends of the single plies reach the anvils, which may be in the form of rolls, the leading ends of the succeeding separated plies from an ensuing double ply roll are fed through the separator to the respective anvils. The leading and trailing ends are overlapped and the ends are welded by ultrasonic welding energy. For purposes of economy and operational procedures, it is desirable to employ only a single ultrasonic welder which cooperates with both anvils and to provide as simple a supporting structure as possible.

It has been proposed to position the anvil rolls on the supporting structure in spaced parallel relation lying substantially in a common horizontal plane and to mount a rectangular supporting frame for the welding head above the anvil rolls. Such frame consists of two parallel long sections which overlie the anvil rolls and extend along the longitudinal axes thereof, and which are joined at their ends by transverse end sections. The ultrasonic welder depends from and is movably supported by the frame and, in its movements along the long sections, cooperates with the anvil rolls to produce the welding action and effect a welded splice so as to bond the overlapped ends of the plies as they are supported by the anvil rolls.

Such construction, as can be appreciated, is very awkward to assemble, and is of such a substantial material nature to require a considerable amount of space and materials in its addition to the framework of the separator. Also, the long sections of the frame make it difiicult to overlap the ends of the plies on the anvil rolls and to repair or replace the anvil rolls. Furthermore, during the operation of the welding head, it is inoperative for considerable periods of time during its movements along the connecting end sections. These disadvantages defeat the very important economical and operational reasons for using a single ultrasonic welder.

Patented Jan. 2, 1968 Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a mechanism for supporting and moving a single ultrasonic welder in operational relation to the anvil rolls which is devoid of the aforedescribed disadvantages, and which makes it economically feasible to use a single ultrasonic welder by obviating the requirements for a complex supporting structure.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means for mounting and moving the ultrasonic welder in relation to the anvil rolls so that there is no structural interference with ready access to the anvil rolls, and so that the costs of materials, installation and operation are at a minimum.

Another important object of the present invention is to position the welding head between the anvil rolls and to provide means for swinging the welding head from a rest position in angular spaced relation to the anvil rolls into welding relation with one of the anvil rolls for moving the welding head along such anvil roll, then for swinging the welding head over into welding relation with the other anvil roll, moving it therealong in welding relation therewith and finally swinging the welding head back into its rest position.

In line with the foregoing object, it is another object of the present invention to provide for the automatic control of such operational movements of the ultrasonic welder after it has been placed initially in operation, such control being under the influence of the movements of the ultrasonic welder.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means for supporting and moving a joning means for plies of sheet material in a manner so that the joining means is normally spaced away from a support on which the adjoining ends of successive plies of the material are positioned, then is swung in a curvilinear path into contact with the ends to act on them and join them together by being moved in a rectilinear path along the axis of the support and across the widths of the adjoining ends of the plies.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a simple, compact and sturdy supporting and moving means for an ultrasonic welder in relation to an anvil so as to weld splice the ends of successive plies of metal foil in an economical, efficient and reliable manner.

The foregoing and ancillary objects and advantages and structural features of merit are attained by this in vention, the preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a separatorrewind mechanism for a double ply roll of metal foil;

FIG. is an enlarged plan view of the welder support and movement means;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1, and showing the welder support in elevation;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4A is a view, similar to FIG. 4, but showing the mounting means in its reverse position;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional View taken on line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view showing a counterweight arrangement employed to ensure that the welding head bears on the anvil rolls with a substantially uniform pressure;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the wiring arrangement for controlling movements of the welder head, and

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the hydraulic control for swinging the welder to and from operative positions.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, and initially to FIG. 1, for an understanding of the selected environment of this invention, the usual separator rewind mechanism comprises a frame composed essentially of spaced uprights or frame members 12 and 14, FIGS. 2 and 3, supporting a series of separating rolls 16, rewinding rolls 18 and 26, anvil rolls 24 and 26, and welding mechanism 36. A double ply metal foil 22 is fed to the separator mechanism 10 from an unwind stand (not shown), and is separated into individual Webs or plies 22a and 22b which pass over anvil rolls 24 and 26 before they pass under hold down roll means 23 asso ciated with the winding rolls 18 and 20. The anvil rolls 24 and 26 are disposed in parallel, laterally spaced relation and lie in the same horizontal plane.

When the trailing ends of the plies 22a and 22b are located at the anvil rolls, the leading ends of successive plies (not shown), of an ensuing double ply roll on the unwind stand, are threaded through the separator 10 to the anvil rolls. The leading and trailing ends of the successive plies are overlapped, and the ultrasonic welder 3'1) is rendered operational so that the welding head 36a acts on the ends, whereby the overlapped ends are welded together by ultrasonic welding energy. Thus, the rewound rolls 18 and may consist of a plurality of successive plies of metal foil which have been weld spliced together to form a continuous, single ply sheet of selected length.

The present invention is particularly directed to means for mounting and moving the ultrasonic welder 30 in relation to the anvil rolls and comprises a rock shaft 32 which is rotatably journaled adjacent its opposing ends in upstanding structural supports 34 and 36, FIGS. 2 and 3, fixed on and forming part of the frame members 12 and 14, respectively. The rock shaft 32 is positioned parallel with and equidistantly between the anvil rolls 24 and 26 and lies in a horizontal plane above the common horizontal plane in which the anvil rolls are disposed. The rock shaft 32, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, has coaxially reduced journaling ends 38 and 46, an axial bore 42, FIGS. 4 and 4A, and an elongated peripheral cutout portion or slot 44 that exposes the bore 42. The end 38 of the rock shaft is rotatably mounted by a bearing unit 46 in the support 34.

The rock shaft 32, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, has on its end 38 a coaxially reduced, axial prolongation 48 to which is secured a collar 50 having a radially disposed externally threaded arm 52 on which is threaded a counterweight 54 which is secured in adjustment by a nut 56, fixed stops 58, 60, on the frame member 12 limiting the movement of the arm 52 to oppositely directed, substantially horizontal positions. The opposite end 41 of the rock shaft 32, as shown in FIG. 6, is annular and receives a sleeve extension 62, fixed by radial pins 64, on an annular pinion 68 having a bore 70 which constitutes a contuation of the rock shaft bore 42. The end 46 is rotatably supported by a bearing unit 72 secured in an opening in the support 36.

Means is provided for mounting the welder 30 on the rock shaft for swinging movement in fixed relation thereto and for rectilinear movement therealong. Such mounting means includes a sleeve 74 which is circumposed on the rock shaft in radially spaced relation thereto. The sleeve has a portion of its circumference cut away to define a radial opening 76 which is disposed in radial alignment with the slot 44 in the rock shaft, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 4A. A collar 7 8, integral with the sleeve 74, circumscribes the opening 76 and extends radially outwardly from the sleeve 74. The inner end portion 80 of the body of the welder 30 is socketed in the collar 78 and is held in place by the one or more set screws 82.

The rock shaft 32 is formed on its periphery with circumferentially equidistantly spaced, axially extending slots 84a, 84b and 84c, within which are positioned rollers 85a, 85b and 85c, respectively, which are mounted within the sleeve 74 on radial shafts 86. The roller and slot arrangement ensures that the rotary movements of the rock shaft are translated into swinging movements of the welder in a curvilinear path about the axis of the rock shaft without lost motion and also permits the sleeve and the Welder to move freely in a rectilinear path along the rock shaft. The roller shafts 86 are eccentrically mounted in cartridges 87 that are rotatively adjustable in radial bores 88 in the sleeve, as disclosed in Patent No. 3,143,067, to permit adjustment of the sleeve 74 relative to the rock shaft 32 and to take up any slack so that the sleeve is rotatively rigid with the shaft.

As shown more particularly in FIGS. 3 and 6, reversible means is provided for moving the sleeve 74 and the associated welder 30 in a rectilinear path along the rock shaft, back and forth between the supports 34 and 36. This means includes an elongated driven lead screw 90 which is rotatably journaled between the supports 34 and 36, and is disposed below and parallel with the rock shaft. The end portion 92 of the lead screw is journaled by a bearing unit 93 in an opening in the support 34, FIG. 3, while the end portion 34 is supported by a bearing unit 96 in a through opening 98 in the support 36, FIG. 6. The end portion 94 is connected by a coupling 106 to the drive shaft of a reversible electric motor 102 that is sup ported by a variable transmission unit 104 fixed to the outer face of the support 36.

A follower 106 is threadingly engaged on the screw 90 and has a radial extension 108 which is fixed by screws 11%) to a ring 112 which surrounds the rock shalft, FIG. 6, and is fixed by screws 114 to the outer race of a ball bearing assembly 116 which is secured to one end of the sleeve 74. The bearing assembly 116 accommodates the swinging movement of the sleeve 74 and associated welder 30 relative to the follower 106 and maintains engagement of the follower with the sleeve for moving the sleeve rectilinearly irrespective of the angular position of the welder 30 relative to the follower and screw rod.

The welder head 30a is rotatable and means is provided for rotating the head 30a as it moves over the overlapped ends of the plies on the anvil rolls in response to the rectilinear travel of the sleeve on the rock shaft. In this respect, it is to be realized that the welder head 30a has two operative positions, one in relation to the anvil 24 and the other in relation to the anvil 26, and, in both such positions, the sleeve and welder are moved along the rock shaft 32 so that the welder head traverses the anvils and rolls over or rotates on the overlapped ends of the plies resting on the anvils.

The welder head rotating means, referring to FIGS. 4 and 4A, includes a pair of elongated stationary racks within the slot 44- in the rock shaft 32, one rack 118 being fixed at the inner edge of the flat wall 120 of the slot 44 and the other rack 122 being fixed at the inner edge of the opposite, but shorter flat wall 124 of the slot 44. The Walls 126 and 124 are in spaced, parallel, confronting relation and the racks 118 and 122 extend axially of the rock shaft 32, but are in offset relation with respect to the axis of the rock shaft; and said racks have their teeth on the opposing faces thereof.

An elongated stationary rod 126 extends axially of the rock shaft and is disposed eccentrically in the axial bore 42. One end of the rod is fixed in the support 36, as shown in FIG. 6, and the other end of the rod is secured by a bolt 128 to an upstanding bracket 130 fixed to the frame member 12, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7. A pinion 132 is adapted to mesh with the teeth of the racks 118 or 122 and walk along the rack 118 or the rack 122, depending upon whether the welder 30 is to the right or the left of the rock shaft, that is, whether the welding head 36a is traversing the anvil roll 26 or the anvil roll 24. The pinion 132 is urged by spring pressure so that its outer face bears constantly against the rod 126 whereby it is maintained in engagement with one of the racks in either the right or left position of the welder.

The pinion 132 is fixed to the inner end of a stub shaft 134 which is housed in a bore 136 formed in the inner end of a shaft 138, the welding head 36a being secured to the outer end of the shaft 138. The shaft 138 rotatably extends through an axial bore 141] in the welder body. The outer end portion of the stub shaft 134! is formed with an axial cavity 142 within which a coil spring 144 is housed and constantly urges the stub shaft 134 from the bore 136 to retain the stub shaft and pinion 132 against the cam rod 126 with the pinion in mesh with one of said racks.

The stub shaft 134 is keyed to the welder head shaft 138 by means of a key 148 carried by the stub shaft and slidable in a keyway 151) formed axially in the wall of the bore 136. Thus, as the sleeve 74 is moved rectilinearly on the rock shaft, the pinion 132 will roll along one of the racks 118 or 122 and, through the keyed arrangement, drive the supporting shaft 138 of the rotary welding head 30a. Thus, the welding head 36a is rotated in response to the rectilinear travel of the sleeve 74 on the rock shaft 32 in either directional movement of the sleeve as caused by the reversible drive means which is constituted by the reversible electric motor 162, the lead screw 90 and the follower 186.

Means for rotating the rock shaft 32 so as to swing the welder 30 in a curvilinear path, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, includes the pinion 68, which is secured to the end 40 of the rock shaft 32, and a vertically disposed rack 158 that is reciprocal within a vertical passageway 156 in the support 36. The rack 158 has its teeth loosely enmeshed with the teeth of the pinion 68 enabling limited freedom of movement of the welder head 36a relative to the anvil rolls, as shown in FIG. 5. The rack 158 is attached to a piston rod 160 which has its piston 162, FIG. 3, slidably housed in a hydraulic cylinder 164. Upper and lower threaded screws 166 and 168 in the passageway 156 constitute adjustable stop means to be engaged by a lateral abutment 178 on the back of the rack,

The operation of the welder 38, in association with the separator mechanism 16, can best be understood from a consideration of FIGS. l3, 8 and 9. The welder 30 is normally in a rest or inoperative position, as shown in full lines in FIGS. 1 and 2. In such rest position, the welder is disposed vertically upwardly from the rock shaft 32 so that the plies 22a and 2212 may be fed over the anvil rolls 24 and 26 without any interference, and the anvil rolls are easily accessible. When the trailing ends of the plies 22a and 22b arrive at the anvil rolls and the leading ends of successive separated plys reach the anvil rolls, the leading and trailing ends of the respective plys are overlapped on the anvil rolls, such overlapping being effected manually or by any suitable mechanical means.

After the ply ends have been overlapped on their respective anvil rolls 24 and 26, the present invention is placed in operation to effect an automatically controlled movement of the welder 38 in its weld splicing of the overlapped ends of the plies. The operation is initiated by closing a main switch 182 in the control circuit, FIG. 8, which includes positive and negative main lines 184 and 186 connected to a source of electrical energy (not shown). The welder 311 is in a vertical rest position A, FIG. 2, and, in such position, bears against a limit switch 188 on the support 36, and holds it open to deenergize a solenoid 196.

The solenoid 198, on the right in FIG. 9, in association with a solenoid 194, on the left in FIG. 9, controls a four- Way reciprocatory control valve 192. Pressure lines 196 and 198 are connected between the valve 192 and the opposite ends, respectively of the cylinder 164 to convey pressure fluid thereto for actuating the piston 162. The valve 192 is connected with a pressure line 202 and an exhaust or return line 264 both of which are in communication with a pressure fluid source 286. Pilot operated check valves 208 and 210 are operatively positioned in the pressure lines 196 and 198, respectively.

With the welder 38 in the park or rest position A, prior to actuation of the switch 182, the limit switch 188, which controls the energization of the right solenoid 191 is held open by the engagement therewith of the welder. In this position, a limit switch 212, between contact points 214 and 216, is also open and deenergizes a coil 218 which, in turn, deenergizes the left solenoid 194 so that the control valve 192 is in a neutral position and the piston 162 is locked by the pilot operated check valves 268 and 210. With the circuit in this condition, the rack bar 158 has its central portion in contact with the pinion 68 with the abutment located midway between the stops 166 and 168.

When the main switch 182 is closed, a relay 220 is energized which energizes the solenoid 190 to cause the control valve 192 to move to the right. The control valve is thus moved out of its neutral position and fiuid pressure is supplied to the cylinder 164 to move the piston 162 and, consequently, the rack 158 to drive the pinion 68 to swing the welder 30 to engage its head 30a with the anvil roll 26. At this position, the abutment 170 on the rack 158 engages the stop 168 and the welder head drive pinion 132 is shifted by its spring 144, under control of the cam rod 126, into mesh with the rack 118, FIG. 4A. As the welder body moves slightly, the limit switch 188 closes and the relay contacts 221 in the lockup circuit 222 are closed, thereby locking in the right solenoid 190.

As the welder 30 swings fully to the right side into the position B, FIG. 2, it contacts and closes a limit switch 224 which closes the contacts of the forward starter 226 for the traversing electric motor 102 and the motor is energized and the circuit is sealed in. The motor drives the lead screw 90 which causes the follower 106 to move the sleeve '74 and welder 36 along the .rock shaft 32 with the welding head 30a bearing on the overlapped ends on the anvil roll 26 and rotating therealong due to the rotation imparted thereto by the rack 118 and pinion 132. The counterweight 54 ensures that the head 30a bears on the overlapped ply ends with a uniform pressure, whereas the loose fit between the rack 158 and pinion 68 ensures that the head 30a is not pressed against the anvil roll with undue force.

When the welder 30 reaches the position C, FIG. 2, adjacent frame member 12, after the welding head 30a has completed its weld splicing traversal of the overlapped ply ends on the anvil roll 26, it engages the limit switch 212 on the frame member 12. Upon actuation of the limit switch 212, the circuit for the forward starter 226 of the electric motor is broken and the motor is stopped, and the self-locking circuit energizing the relay 218 is closed and locked in by bridging the contacts 214 and 216 to energize the left solenoid 194.

Actuation of the solenoid 194 causes the control valve 192 to move to a left position and the fiuid pressure acts on the piston 162 in the cylinder 164 to move it substantially its full length until abutment 1'76 on the rack bar 158 engages stop 166. This full stroke movement of the rack bar 158 drives the rock shaft pinion 68 and causes the rock shaft 32 to rotate substantially and the welder 30 to swing curvilinearly substantially 180 to position D, FIG. 2, whereby the welder head 30a is moved from engagement with the overlapped ends of the plys 011 the anvil roll 26 into engagement with the overlapped ply ends on the anvil roll 24. In the position D, the welder contacts a limit switch 228 on the frame member 12, whereby the motor reverse starter 230 is energized, causing the motor 102 to drive the welding head back across the overlapped ply ends on the anvil roll 24.

When the welder reaches the position E, FIG. 2, it contacts a limit switch 232, carried by the frame member 14, starter 231) is deenergized, thereby deenergizing the motor 102, the relay 234 is energized, deenergizing the relay 218 and the left solenoid 194, and the right solenoid is energized causing the control valve 192 to move so that the welder is swung toward its rest or park position A. When the welder reaches the vertical position A,

it contacts and opens the limit switch 188, thereby deenergizing the right solenoid 190 and the control valve 192 is moved to a neutral position so that the welder 3% is held in its rest or park position A.

This completes the splicing cycle which consists of swinging the welder 30 from the rest position A into the operative position B, then along the anvil roll 26 in a rectilinear path to the position C, then swinging the welder in a curvilinear path of substantially 180 into position D, moving the welder along the anvil roll 2d to the position E and finally swinging the welder 90 back to the rest or park position A. A safety switch 236 is provided in the main circuit to interrupt the operation at any time. When the welder is swung from position C to position D, the welder head drive pinion 132 will be shifted by the cam rod 126, under the control of its spring 144, from the rack 118 to the rack 122, FIG. 4, so that the head will be driven in the opposite direction.

While the preferred embodiment of the present invention and preferred environment therefor have been described herein, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, other forms and environments can be realized as come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for joining the adjacent ends of successive plies of sheet material comprising a supporting means adapted to be arranged transverse to the lengths of the plies, means for connecting the ends together, means for moving said connecting means in a curvilinear path into and out of joining engagement with the ends, and means for moving said connecting means in a rectilinear path across the ends in the act of joining the ends together.

2. Means for joining the overlapped ends of successive plies of metal foil comprising an anvil disposed transverse to the lengths of the plies and on which the overlapped ends are supported, an ultrasonic welder, means for moving said welder in a curvilinear path into and out of welding relation with the overlapped ends, and means for moving said welder in a rectilinear path over the overlapped ends along the longitudinal axis of the anvil to Weld splice the ends together by ultrasonic welding energy.

3. Means for joining the overlapped ends of two pairs of successive plies of metal foil comprising anvil means disposed transverse to the lengths of the successive plies of each pair for supporting the overlapped ends of each pair, an ultrasonic Welder, means for moving said welder in a curvilinear path into welding relation with the overlapped ends of one pair of plies, and into welding relation with the overlapped ends of the other pair of plies, and means for moving said welder in a rectilinear path over the overlapped ends of the pairs of plies to weld splice the ends together by ultrasonic welding energy.

4. Means for joining the overlapped ends of two pairs of successive plies of metal foil comprising, anvil means for supporting the overlapped ends of each pair of metal foil plies in angular spaced relation, an ultrasonic welder, means for moving said welder in a curvilinear path into welding relation with the overlapped ends of one pair of plies and also into welding relation with the overlapped ends of the other pair of plies, reversible means for moving said welder in rectilinear paths over the overlapped ends of the pair of plies to weld splice the ends together by ultrasonic welding energy, and control means for both of said last-named means and including means for actuating said curvilinear path moving means to move the welder from a rest position between the ends of the pairs of plies into welding relation first with the overlapped ends of one pair of plies, means for actuating said rectilinear path moving means to move the welder over said ends, means for again actuating said curvilinear path moving means for moving the welder into welding relation with the overlapped ends of the other pair of plies, means for actuating said rectilinear path moving means to move the welder in an opposite direction over the overlapped ends of the other pair of plies, and means for actuating said curvilinear path moving means to return the welder to a rest position.

5. Means for joining the overlapped ends of two pairs of successive plies of metal foil comprising a pair of laterally spaced apart, parallel anvil rolls, for respectively supporting the overlapped ends of a pair of plies, an ultrasonic welder, means positioned between said rolls for supporting the welder for curvilinear movement into welding relation with the overlapped ends of each pair of plies, and means for moving said welder in a rectilinear path over the overlapped ends of the pairs of plies to weld splice the ends together by ultrasonic welding energy.

6. Means for joining the overlapped ends of two pairs of successive plies of metal foil comprising opposing, spaced upstanding frame members, a pair of laterally spaced apart, parallel anvil rolls mounted between the frame members and over which the pairs of plies, are adapted to pass and on which the overlapped ends rest, a rock shaft rotatably journaled on the frame members and positioned parallel with and between the anvil rolls, means for rotating the rock shaft in a defined and limited angular clockwise and counterclockwise movement, an ultrasonic welder, means mounting the welder on the rock shaft for movement therewith in a curvilinear path into and out of welding relation with the overlapped ends on each anvil roll, means securing said Welder mounting means on the rock shaft for movement of the welder in a rectilinear path along the longitudinal axis of the rock shaft, and reversible means operatively connected to said welder for moving the welder in said rectilinear path so as to cause the welder to traverse the anvil rolls in Welding relation with the overlapped ends thereon and weld splice the ends together by ultrasonic welding energy.

7. Means for joining the overlapped ends of two pairs of successive plies of metal foil comprising, spaced upstanding frame members, a pair of laterally spaced parallel anvil rolls mounted between the frame members and over which the respective pairs of plies are adapted to pass and on which the overlapped ends rest, a rock shaft rotatably journaled on the frame members and positioned parallel with and between the anvil rolls, an ultrasonic welder, means mounting the welder on the rock shaft for movement in a curvilinear path responsive to rotary movements of the rock shaft, means for rotating said rock shaft in limited clockwise and counterclockwise directions so as to swing the welder into and out of welding relation with the overlapped ends on each anvil roll, means securing said welder mounting means on the rock shaft for movement of the welder in a rectilinear path along the axis of the rock shaft, reversible means for moving the Welder in said rectilinear path back and forth along the axis of the rock shaft, and control means for the rock shaft rotating means and for the reversible means for moving the welder so that the welder is swung from a rest position adjacent one of the frame members and in spaced angular relation to both anvil rolls into welding relation with one anvil roll, is then moved along said one anvil roll to weld splice the overlapped ends on said roll, then is swung over into welding relation with the other anvil roll, is then moved back along the other anvil roll from the other of the frame members toward the one frame member and, upon completing the weld splicing of the ends on said other anvil roll, is swung into rest position adjacent said one of the frame members.

8. The invention of claim '7, wherein said anvil rolls are disposed in a common horizontal plane and said rock shaft is disposed in a horizontal plane above the horizontal plane in which the anvil rolls are disposed, and adjustable counterweight means is carried by the rock shaft to ensure that the head of the welder bears on the anvil rolls with a substantially uniform pressure and exerts an adjustable clamping force on the overlapped ends with the anvil rolls.

9. The invention of claim 7, wherein said means for rotating the rock shaft includes a pinion carried by the rock shaft, a reciprocatory rack operatively engaged with the pinion, and means for actuating the rack.

10. The invention of claim 9, wherein said last means includes a hydraulically operated piston connected to the rack, and a hydraulic system controlling the movements of said piston and responsive to the control means.

11. The invention of claim 9, wherein the teeth of the pinion and the rack have a loose fit permitting limited freedom of movement of the head of the welder relative to the anvil rolls.

12. The invention of claim 7, wherein said means mounting the welder on the rock shaft includes a sleeve loosely circumposed on the rock shaft and said means receiving the mounting means on the rock shaft includes the provision of circumferentially spaced, axially extending slots in the peripheral surface of the rock shaft, and rollers carried by the sleeve internally thereof and extending radially therefrom and disposed in the slots.

13. The invention of claim 12, wherein means is provided for eccentrically mounting the rollers so as to enable adjustment of the sleeve relative to the rock shaft.

14. The invention of claim 12, wherein said sleeve has a radial opening, a collar surrounding the opening and in which the welder is socketed.

15. The invention of claim 12, wherein said welder has a rotary head engaging the overlapped ends, and means responsive to the movement of the sleeve in a rectilinear path on the rock shaft for rotating the welder head.

16. The invention of claim 15', wherein said rock shaft is provided with an axial bore and is formed with an elongated slot radially extending through a portion of its periphery and communicating with the bore, and said means for rotating the welder head includes stationary rack means disposed in the bore of the rock shaft and extending axially thereof, said welder including a body, means attaching the body to the sleeve in radial registration with the slot, a rotary shaft for the welder head rotatably mounted in the welder body, and a pinion carried by the welder head shaft and enmeshed with the rack means.

17. The invention of claim 16, wherein said rack means includes rack bars disposed in vertically offset facing relation, a rod eccentrically fixed in the bore of the rock shaft and extending axially thereof between the rack bars and resilient means urging the face of the pinion into contact with said rod so that as the rock shaft is rotated in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction the pinion will be in engagement with one of'the rack bars.

18. The invention of claim 7, wherein said reversible means for moving the welder in a rectilinear path includes a reversible screw rod rotatably journaled in the frame members and disposed adjacent to and parallel with the rock shaft, a reversible prime mover operatively connected to the screw rod, a follower member on said screw rod and actuated thereby, and means connecting the follower member to the welder mounting means.

19. The invention of claim 17, wherein said last named means includes a bearing assembly which enables rotation of the rock shaft and swinging of the welder relative to the screw rod.

20. The invention of claim 7, wherein said control means includes an electrical circuit having limit switches contacted by the welder in its curvilinear and rectilinear movements.

No references cited.

RICHARD H. EANES, J R., Primary Examiner. 

1. MEANS FOR JOINING THE ADJACENT ENDS OF SUCCESSIVE PLIES OF SHEET MATERIAL COMPRISING A SUPPORTING MEANS ADAPTED TO BE ARRANGED TRANSVERSE TO THE LENGTHS OF THE PLIES, MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE ENDS TOGETHER, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CONNECTING MEANS IN A CURVILINEAR PATH INTO AND OUT OF JOINING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ENDS, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CONNECTING MEANS IN A RECTILINEAR PATH ACROSS THE ENDS IN THE ACT OF JOINING THE ENDS TOGETHER. 